Heading north from Bangkok we had a few days in the former Thai kingdom capital of Ayutthaya and also the second city, Lopburi. A million people once lived in Ayutthaya but was abandoned a couple of hundred years ago when the Burmes invaded. A scruffy little town of about 50,000 people now exists, but much of the former city remains, albeit in ruins. Much of the sites are unrestored which adds to the intrigue and is a great place to wander around. After having had our fill of Ayutthaya, we went onto the small town of Lopburi, once the second city of the kingdom. Again plenty of ruins of former palaces and places of worship but less impressive. The draw card here is the population of monkeys that lives in the town. They can be seen in the streets, clambering over cars, up buildings and swinging from shopfronts. They are everywhere. The story goes that the monkeys lived happily at a temple on the edge of the town until tensions in the group led to a splinter group forming and going across the road, lured by the bright lights of the town. The things must be a pest, but buddhist beliefs prevent a cull. In fact the locals not only accept the monkeys, but are grateful for them as they attract visitors. Indeed, every year they hold a festival for the monkeys laying out tables with all their favourite foods to show their gratitude. At the temple the original group of monkeys inhabits, you pay your 50 pence to enter and are given a choice of either a big stick or a catapult with stones to keep the monkeys at a safe distance. They are pretty agressive, so Lisa waited at the gate watching them whilst I went in. I was fortunate enough to see a small group of locals come with food for the monkeys. The big baskests of fruit went down well, but their favourites were the individual yoghurt drinks - the cause of a few spats! We left Ayutthaya, catching the night train for Chiang Mai. S